An age old scam is back

I have always been able to find a job. It may not have been a good one but I made some money. Not everyone has the same situation but I firmly believe that the vast majority of people I see out there begging for money are perfectly able to work. If they spent as much time and energy working as they did begging and scamming they might have something to show for it.

 

I was at that TA there a couple weeks back and a guy was riding around in a car asking for money for gas lol. His gauge was on E I'll give him that but he was wanting to polish wheels, and he's a wounded vet etc. blah blah blah.

I remember one time I was out drinking with some friends and a bum came up and asked me for some money to get something to eat. I asked him if he had change for a 10 and he said yes. I told him you don't need any money from me then. If I ever leave trucking, I'm going into the bum business at truck stops.

 

There will always be the lazy people hanging around truck stops. They can sometimes make a good fistfull of cash every day, and not even have to pay taxes on it!
Even if they could work they will not, they would rather take your money than earn their own.
Truckers are easy prey, new group every day, and they don't even have to move! Same scam every day, new faces to ply it upon!

 

OHG........ That is too funny!!!

 

I had a couple once in Abilene TX, who asked me if i wanted my truck detailed inside and out. I told them no, no one but me goes into my truck. They told me they were just trying to make money because they were hungry. Not long after that I let 3 people polish my rims all for a single $20 bill. That is not much for 3 people, but they did a great job.

 

The entire situation is sad......the ones who ask to do something for you for the money are not my real issue..... a dollar or two for getting my windows and mirrors spotless.... or more for polishing wheels works for me....... at least they are doing something for the money.......

It reminds me of being a young tween (13-15) and going around to houses and asking to wash outside windows for money........ I did it for years on a regular basis when I needed spending money and I made some really good cash..... we also got together in groups and went around and washed cars in people's driveways (back when most people washed their own cars).......... we did just about anything we could think of....

Maybe some of these guys have just never grown-up..... it would be my guess that they can't handle the responsibility or self-control that a real job requires........ I also do know that some (but not all) have mental illnesses which we are not good, as a country, with taking care of .........

The real problem, of course, is the ones who are flat out begging..... I even saw a documentary one time on how some of these guys live in nice homes in good neighborhoods and make themselves look like bums to go out and make money every day .......... they got them on film saying that with the minimum wage being so low they can make more begging.......... in the big cities they were pulling in $30-$40 an hour!...... I would bet they make at least $10 an hour if not $20 at the truck stops...........

Oh, and of course, that is on top of their government aid that I'm sure most of them get........

hey! that means they make more than a lot of truckers...... hehehe....

Don't know what the answer is........ I pay for services on occassion and if they say they are hungry I will buy something healthy while I am in the store and hand it to them on the way out........ then I go on with my life....

 

I might have to stick a rude sign on my window everytime I go to sleep. I'm really getting sick of vagrants. "I'm a vet. I have three kids. My car broke down." Blah blah blah.

Some of them are getting guts. "Okay. I helped you out. Now you help me out. Especially since it's so hot out and I wasted gas from my car sitting here helping you." Oh and I guess this truck I'm driving runs on jelly beans.

One vagrant I ran into was really despicable. He was like "I need money to fix my tire. You got $20?" I give him a twenty for his supposed flat tire. "Me and my wife are hungry. You got something for food?" I show him what was in my cooler. Food. "What am I going do with that?" Eat it, stupid! "You got another $20?" I give it to him, but I'm really peeved at that point. Next day, by stroke of unluck, I find myself at the same truck stop. "Hey buddy. Remember me? Got another $20?" I should've brained him with my crowbar.

 

The best way to get rid of a begger, is the next time he ask for money for food, you give him something to eat out of your truck. But if he refuses you simply say "I tought you said you were hungry" I found this to be very useful..

 

i give no money or food to any begger. and i think everybody should stop giving to them also so this would force them to work instead of begging. i have to work so i think they should too. i always hate when they come up and want to tell a story. i usually just speak spanish or german to them and acting like i have no clue what they are asking for. they usually get frustrated and walk away.

 

Saw a man in a wheelchair going around the fuel island, begging everybody for help.
When he got to me, I ignored him. He was all nice as long as somebody was giving him cash, but he started yelling and cursing at me for ignoring him.
Had another man walking along looking at everybody, not saying anything to them. Until he got to me. "Excuse me sir, I'm trying to rush my little girl to the hospital, but I've got a flat tire. Can you help me with that?"
"Sure, let me call 911 for an ambulance to help get her there", I said.
"Never mind!" He kept on walking, looking for a free handout.